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Topic: English Paraklesis (Read 7799 times)

I have a quick question. Does anyone know of an English Paraklesis to the Virgin Mary sung by Men? I ask because although I like the Eikona one, the voices are just too high for me to try to imitate. I am HORRIBLE at reading music, so i just kind of try to memorize the tones.

Believe it or not, I've never encountered one... and I don't know of anyone here at the seminary that has one.

But I do continue to tell the powers that be that it would be good to record our choirs here in the chapel and post them online... maybe that would be good for situations like this (and free, methinks; of course, I don't think the school would like that)

I have the music and I could probably try to make a recording for you if you want it that bad. However, it would be in the Carpatho Russian tones and it might differ slightly from your service. Now, I may not be the most learned musician, but Christ aparrently gave me a gift and I am happy to share it with everyone. You just have to wait until I get over this sickness because I have a sore throat and my singing is not close to par value.

Dumb question, but coming from the Russian tradition I'm not entirely clear what Paraklesis is... is it an Akathist?

Not a dumb question at all! The Paraklesis is kind of a compline/midnight/orthros office; it starts with the 142nd psalm, then the chanting of "God is the Lord," followed by 2 apolitikia hymns (I think from the blessing of the waters); then it has the 50th psalm, and then the chanting of one of two canons: if it is a small Paraklesis, then it has the chanting of the canon commonly known as the Canon of the Theotokos; if it is a Great Paraklesis, then it has a special canon written for the first 15 days of August.

Interspersed are 2 litanies, after the 3rd and 6th odes, with hymns following, (one of which is the Kontakion of the Theotokos that is sung in the Greek Churches during the fall season - "A Protection of Christians unshameable") and the chanting of the 1st antiphon of the Anavathmi in 4th tone.

Then follows a gospel reading: for small Paraklesis, the matins gospel of the feasts of the Theotokos "Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country..."; for Great Paraklesis, the liturgy gospel (Christ was teaching, "blessed is the womb that bore you...").

You then have the completion of the canon. At the end of the canon, you have megalinaria "You are honored more than the Cherubim..." with a censing. The Trisagion prayers follow. Then the chanting of troparia of mercy (also found in the service of preparation for the Liturgy that is done by the priests). Then another litany, and dismissal prayer. Then there is a set of hymns chanted while people venerate the icon of the Theotokos - they change depending on whether it is Great Paraklesis or not. Then the end!

The Paraklesis is the "service of fervent supplication," and were originally done in the fast of the Theotokos leading up to the 15th of August. The Great Paraklesis is still only done during that time. The Small Paraklesis, however, is more commonly done in the parishes and in times of distress; it was the "go-to" service in Constantinople when the city was under attack.

"The GiC" is a he, and his username is GreekisChristian. He is strongly opinionated, and can be controversial at times, so he's gained the shorter monicker (as you will see with a few other posters on here as well).

My theory was always that the Greeks had it because of the City and it stayed because the service (well, really the Theotokos to whom the service is dedicated) were credited with repulsing dozens of attacks on the City (before the 2 got to it).

I don't know if I'd ever say that she *stopped* protecting the city... and the first sack of the city was before Florence (it was in 1204). Whenever it is God's will for things to happen, they happen - regardless of whatever we think is the motivation.

I can't speak for the Russian Churches but the Carpatho-Russian people celebrate the Paraklesis. It used to be a popular Lenten devotion in the days before the celebration of the DL of the Presanctified Gifts was moved to the evenings. It was also sung during the Dormition Fast. We refer to it as the Paraklis.

I can't speak for the Russian Churches but the Carpatho-Russian people celebrate the Paraklesis. It used to be a popular Lenten devotion in the days before the celebration of the DL of the Presanctified Gifts was moved to the evenings. It was also sung during the Dormition Fast. We refer to it as the Paraklis.

Akathist much like the Bride Groom matins are not really that popular of a service in the Carpatho Russian churches. We usually have Presanctified Liturgies and Paraklis or Moleben to the Cross. We also tend to shy away from the Cannon of Saint Andrew of Crete. Aparrently us Carpatho Russians don't like long services...

The Akathist services are basically the pre-feast services of The Annunciation that have been spread out over lent (and actually have nothing to do with lent). Because they are not penitential (the theme of the weekdays in lent) they must be done Friday eve, Sat, or Sunday before dusk. That is why they are done on Fridays at night - because otherwise, if we did them on the 5 days immediately preceding Annunciaiton (as they're intended to be), then they would get overshadowed by the pentitential flavor of lent.

Meanwhile, Paraklesis was designed for the fast of the Theotokos in August, and revolve around the 15th.

While it is called a molebin in Serbian I believe the ancient Greek ÃƒÆ’Ã‚ÂÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚Â¬ÃƒÆ’Ã…Â½Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â±ÃƒÆ’Ã‚ÂÃƒâ€šÃ‚ÂÃƒÆ’Ã…Â½Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â±ÃƒÆ’Ã…Â½Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ÂºÃƒÆ’Ã…Â½Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â±ÃƒÆ’Ã…Â½Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â»ÃƒÆ’Ã‚ÂÃƒâ€¦Ã‚Â½ is roughly equivalent in meaning to the Slavic Molebin / moleben - to supplicate.ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€š